UVEITIS ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION

PURPOSE: To report uveitis associated with human immunodeficiency viru s (HIV) infection and to suggest guidelines for treatment. METHODS: Si x HIV-seropositive patients (10 eyes) with anterior or posterior uveit is or both were evaluated. After ineffective prolonged treatment with systemic and topical corticosteroids, specific systemic antiretroviral therapy with zidovudine was initiated in all patients. Aqueous humor was cultured in three eyes of three patients, and vitreous humor was c ultured in one eye of one patient. RESULTS: In all 10 eyes of six pati ents, there was resolution of inflammation in 10 to 42 days after comm encement of treatment with zidovudine (600 to 800 mg/day), despite no or minimal response to corticosteroids. Cultures of aqueous humor from three eyes of three patients and culture of vitreous humor from one e ye of one patient were positive for HIV; no other organism was isolate d. Systemic evaluation disclosed no other identifiable cause for the u veitis in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Infection with HIV appears to be a cause of uveitis. A trial of zidovudine may be warranted in HIV serop ositive patients with uveitis that is poorly responsive to corticoster oid treatment when no other cause is identified. The efficacy of other retroviral agents was not determined. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science In c. All rights reserved.